Update: North Attleborough death ruled a homicide, probe still involves Aaron Hernandez

Thursday

Jun 20, 2013 at 12:01 AMJun 20, 2013 at 8:13 PM

Authorities have ruled the death of Odin Lloyd - whose body was discovered in North Attleborough Monday night - a homicide.

Peter Cox

Authorities have ruled the death of Odin Lloyd - whose body was discovered in North Attleborough Monday night - a homicide.

Lloyd a 27 -year-old, Dorchester resident, was discovered by a jogger Monday at 5:30 p.m. on John Dietsch Boulevard in the industrial park.

Police asked for the public’s help in locating a silver mirror cover believed to have been broken off a vehicle on a route between Dorchester and North Attleborough.

Lloyd was a semi-pro football player, who was a linebacker for the Boston Bandits.

Sources told ABC news that the man was an "associate" of Patriots player Aaron Hernandez.

The Bristol County District Attorney's office announced Wednesday night that an autopsy ruled the death a homicide.

Hernandez is not believed to be a murder suspect, but a 2013 Chevrolet Suburban with Rhode Island license plate rented in his name has emerged as a key piece of evidence in the investigation.

Police searched Hernandez’s home for hours on Tuesdy and again Wednesday morning, with neighbors gathering outside.

"My son didn't want to come out because he was a little intimidated, but like I said there is a lot of action anyway, a lot of action with Patriots players being here," neighbor Susan Mayer said.

The last homicide in North Attleborough occured in 2009, when the body of a man who entered the country from Mexico was found at a construction site off Freeman Street, rolled up in a carpet.

The investigation is centering around a wooded area between John Dietsch Boulevard and Landry Avenue, in a clearing behind Corliss Landing.

The scene is less than a mile from North Attleborough High School and Middle School.

Local residents near the scene said they were frightened, the police investigation shattering their sense of safety in the community.

"It makes you scared to go outside by yourself at night," said Barbara Valliere, a Plainville resident who came to Corliss Landing for electrical supplies and had no idea a body had been discovered mere hours earlier. "It's scary that in today's world that happes more and more. To be so close to home makes it worse."

On the other hand, some residents said they won’t feel any less safe until they’re sure foul play was involved.

“Depends [on what the cause of death was],” said Donna Sprague. “Who were the associates of the deceased? Lots of variables.”

Another resident said he hasn’t seen a trend of increasing violence in North, but he is tired of public scrutiny on the town.

“I see this as an isolated incident,” Paul Couturier said. “Although this is the second time in the past three months the town has been in the national news for a negative event, and that bothers me.”

In May, the body of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev came through North Attleborough, garnering national attention.